Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1887-03-01
an OLD LOvR srUnY.


hsvivsA by The ftndisg Of nassy Oeeu0ses
~ he Tlsssisbasv Stsss Csptssr
Oas Of the legislative committees as sHasrSs'
burg on Friday, In dslving among the Ar
chives OF the House OF Representatives e'tsr
tfaCss Of On old committee rsport came ectoes
document which possesses romantic iotef.
est and recalls somewhat exciting incident
Of souial life at the state capitol ID 1885, which
nevsr GOT Into print, and was known 70 pot
Q limited circle at the timA The document
10 tho original OF House bill No 2 Of the leG.
islative session OF 1883, the introducttoo oa
which at the nrss session II which the Houss
was fully organized WAS the nrst cot In the
legislative career oi Matthew y. Quay, now
state treasurer and Uaitsd States senatoi
elect II wss bill to divorce Mary Wilson
Mcdonnell from her husband, Henry Lloyd
Mcconnell. Mrs.. Mcdonnell IVES the young
and handsome daughter Of the then Governor
Curtin, and thereby hangs the romance Of
Tnrousn the efforts o, NJ. Quay and Sens.
tor Lowry, Of the Crawford District this di.
vorce bill, Without going 10 COMMITTEES,
passod both Houses OF tho legislature IN leas
than two hourA This was Ln January 10.
1854 MI: Quay, whose hne hand WAS seen
in the ra.lroAdips OF shs Philadelphia masis.
trates' bill through sotne weeks ago, evident.
ly began to get on 10 the rapid legislative
methods very soon In his political career.
Miss Mary Wilson Curtin he'd just budded In
her tsens whom her father wss elected gover.
nor Of Pennsylvania, and was = school girl
when ehe cauao 70 Harrisburg 70 live at the
executive mansion. She wAs sprightly, good.
natured, and had charming mannerA BY
1895 she had grown TO bs one Of the hand.
somest, most entertaining, and most sought
after Of all the buds In society there and 10
Philadelphia, where sho Wa woli known and
u still remembered ~ belle.
Gao evening at an sntsrtainment at the
Henry Lloyd Mcconnell, . dsshins ofiicer OF
the army. who Was taken Ill during the 70
ception and waa kindly taken care Of BY the
governors family. This led to frequent meet.
ings between Miss Curtin and young Mo
Connell, who was duo looking fellow, but
OF no particular social status, aud would not
have been listened to by the governor - Q
suitor for tho hand OF his daughter. but
Cupid and tho captain's shoulder.strsps
played havoc with tho young lady's heart
umid lovers appeared In the ofice OF old
"'Squire" Mclaughlin and aaked TO bo mar.
ried. The young lady was yelled. The JUS
tce did not dream that she was the governors q
daughter, whom he knew by sight - one Of
tho pretty girls OF tho town. He readily
Agreed to perform the ceremony. His little
Yiaso certificate. Tho Young lady gave her
name - Miss Mary Wilson Curtin, with .
old squire and his nephew are both deaJ,
but there IL still . living witness To this
ceremony In Harrishurg. William McLAugh.
lin, the Justices son, who was homo from
the war on farlough, and happened to bs In
"Capiain McConneil," aud Mr. McLaush.
lin, In relating the story OF the marriage,
twas very handsome fellow, but guess
that's about all there was In him."
The captain walked down the street 10 the
executive mansion and len his bride ct the
door, going to his own quarters, presumably
to lot the storm blow over. But the storm
never did blow over. The governor, - wss
70 have been expected, was IN . towering
che had done. The young lady was hurried
Cd to boarding school aud out OF reach, aud
negotiations were begun with the husband 70
get him out OF the wav ~ we'll Governor
CuTttn's political power at that time Was
greater probab than that OF any man In the
state, and means were found To induce ths
young and daring captain to leave the state
and make no claims upon his wife, who, he
WAS told, had ropented Of her marriage, and
didn't care TO see him any more. In few
days ths captain lett Harrisburg, and was
lost sight OF by his friends there. He subse.
Quentiy became United States marshal In
the West, whore he now ltves
Whether the young bride protested against
the summary way In which she was sDatched
from her husbands arms 10 o matter OF con.
lecture, but 1t was cofront gossip anon 3
those few who knew Of the circumstance
that tho irste governor had locked his
daughter up Ia her room In the executive
mansion until the captain was out OF the
way. The marriage was kept pretty Qui6l
considering the circumstances and although
the story did leak out In society iu piece
meal sort Of way, tho particulars were never
known, aud the papers knew nothing OF the
affair. As soon a. the legislature met di
vorce bill WAS presented, - has been seen,
and the marriage snnulltd. Since then Misa
Curtin has married . gentleman In every
circles at the national capital and In NeW
York, and looks back upon h0r youthful
folly with the regret which comes with morl
sober years.